Barcode Access System for Lifecycle Resource Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the aerospace industry and other sectors, accessing and managing system-related resources for complex systems and their parts is inefficient due to their distributed nature, requiring extensive searching across multiple locations and leading to time-consuming and costly processes, especially when dealing with large amounts of information and complex relationships between system components.
Innovation Solution
A barcode-based system that encodes links to system-related resources, allowing users to efficiently access and navigate electronic resources throughout the lifecycle of a part, from pre-production to post-removal, by scanning the barcode and decoding the links to display them in a graphical user interface, facilitating access to design records, maintenance records, and other relevant documents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If system-related resources are distributed across multiple locations and databases, then comprehensive information coverage is improved, but access time and search efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges distributed system-related resources into a unified barcode-based access system. The barcode consolidates multiple resource references (engineering diagrams, technical drawings, wiring diagrams, maintenance records) into a single accessible interface, allowing users to access comprehensive information across previously distributed locations through one centralized scanning action, thereby reducing access time while maintaining complete information coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The barcode serves as an intermediary between the user and distributed electronic resources. Instead of directly searching across multiple databases and locations, the user scans the barcode which acts as a mediator to retrieve and present all relevant system-related resources through a graphical user interface, significantly reducing search time while maintaining comprehensive access.
2Loss of information
If extensive searching across multiple hosts is performed to locate desired resources, then complete resource discovery is improved, but operational efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-organizing all system-related resources and their relationships in a database structure that can be quickly queried. When a barcode is scanned, the system has already prepared the retrieval pathways, eliminating the need for users to perform extensive searching. The resources are pre-categorized and linked, allowing immediate access upon scanning, thus maintaining complete resource discovery while dramatically improving operational efficiency.
3Loss of information
If large amounts of information are provided in system-related documents, then information completeness is improved, but comprehension difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments large amounts of system-related information into organized categories (engineering diagrams, technical drawings, wiring diagrams, maintenance records, etc.) and presents them through a structured graphical user interface. The barcode system retrieves comprehensive information but displays it in segmented, manageable sections rather than as a single overwhelming mass of data, making it easier to comprehend while maintaining information completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms the presentation of information from a traditional linear document format to a multi-dimensional graphical user interface accessible through barcode scanning. The information is organized in spatial dimensions (different sections, tabs, or panels within the GUI) rather than requiring linear progression through lengthy documents, reducing comprehension difficulty while preserving complete information availability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided that includes locating a barcode applied to a part of a complex system. The barcode may encode links to respective system-related resources for the part, which may include software-based systems and/or electronic documents. At one or more instances during a lifecycle of the part, then, the method may include scanning the barcode, and decoding the links from the barcode. The method may include displaying the links in a graphical user interface, and affecting navigation of at least one of the links through the graphical user interface to access a respective at least one of the system-related resources for the respective part.